Frank Kelly Arnhem POW

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Tricky Dicky, Feb 23, 2017.

  1. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Dear Airborne colleagues,
    I am hoping you may be able to help.

    I read that:

    One man, Frank Kelly, a Lewisham lad captured by the Germans at Arnhem and liberated from Stalag 4B

    Now in my POW listing the only F Kelly I can find in Stalag 4B is the one below:
    Name: F Kelly
    Rank: Private
    Army Number: 3328414
    Regiment: Highland Light Infantry
    POW Number: 76160
    Camp Type: Stalag
    Camp Number: IV-B
    Camp Location: Mühlberg, Elbe, Brandenburg
    Record Office: Infantry Record Office, Perth
    Record Office Number: 16

    I am hoping someone with Arnhem and Airborne knowledge can tell me that they 2 are one and the same or if not have you any further details to solve it??

    Regards
    TD
     
  2. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  3. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    What a coincidence - just found this on another - Herbert Lovegrove

    The outstanding Second World War Prisoner of War Escape to Russia Distinguished Conduct Medal group awarded to Private H. Lovegrove, 4th City of Aberdeen Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, who was one of 15 British prisoners to escape to Russia prior to the German invasion of that country, and suffered horrendously at the hands of his NKVD captors being accused of being a German spy, he twice had to force issues through going on hunger strike.
    The outstanding Second World War Prisoner of War Escape to Russia Distinguished Conduct Medal group

    TD
     
  5. airborne medic

    airborne medic Very Senior Member

    I'd suggest the above info is incorrect......If you refer to the Arnhem nominal roll in Red Berets and Red Crosses there is a Private F Kelly 14709611....133 PFA......He also wrote a book called Private Kelly by himself and in recent years there was an article about him in Britain at War magazine although there were some mistakes in the article......
     

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  6. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    I agree with Airborne Medic Frank James William Kelly was a member of 133 Parachute Field Ambulance who was captured at Arnhem and when his camp was liberated failed to rejoin his unit but stayed in Russian hands until November 1953. On his return to the UK consideration was given to charging him with being absent without leave but it was decided that he had suffered enough whilst in Russian hands, he then sought arrears of Army Pay for his time in Russia. If you're looking for his genealogical details he was born 23 Oct 1917 and lived at Waghorn Rd, Kenton, Middlesex. This was recorded as his Aunt's address (a Mrs Kemp) but it transpired that it was the address that he had lived at before enlisting and that she was just a friend, he was estranged from his parents. He enlisted on 3 Feb 1944 and was transferred to the RAMC. His service number was 14709611. His POW Number was 91609
     

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  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Name: F J W Kelly
    Rank: Private
    Army Number: 14709611
    Regiment: Royal Army Medical Corps
    POW Number: 91609
    Camp Type: Stalag
    Camp Number: XII-A
    Camp Location: Limburg, Baden-Württemberg
    Record Office: Royal Army Medical Corps and Army Dental Corps Record Office, Colet Court, Hammersmith, London, W6
    Record Office Number: 30

    TD
     
  8. RebeccaHague87

    RebeccaHague87 New Member

    I know this thread is super old, but this was my Great Uncle Frank! :)
    I used to go and stay with him and my Aunty Joan, and my Gran still owns their house. It's strange seeing him appear online! I googled him for a project my daughter is doing :)
     
  9. Tullybrone

    Tullybrone Senior Member

    Hi,

    Welcome to the forum.

    Sadly the originator of this topic won’t be able to respond to you as he passed away in April 2022.

    Steve
     
  10. RebeccaHague87

    RebeccaHague87 New Member

    Ahh how very sad :(
    Thanks for letting me know.
     
    Tullybrone likes this.
  11. alieneyes

    alieneyes Senior Member

    Hi Rebecca,

    The late TD (Richard Carter) and I spent ages talking about your great uncle. Such a fascinating story.

    I recall Nigel Cawthorne, in his book "The Iron Cage" made the comment that Frank Kelly likely didn't say a whole lot about his time in the SU because UK military authorities warned him all about desertion charges..

    One of the files we were looking to obtain was his military debriefing. But we are not family.

    The last line of the Daily Telegraph article makes it clear his story is held by some government department, somewhere

    Frank Kelly by himself - Newspapers.com

    Regards,

    Dave
     
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  12. RebeccaHague87

    RebeccaHague87 New Member

    Fascinating! Thanks for that, I've just sent it to my Dad and to my Gran who is his sister in law and is now 92 almost 93! :)
    They've never seen that clip!

    He never spoke of his time in the camp, not to my Dad or I anyway. Perhaps he did to the older ones in the family. I know the only reason he was released was that Stalin died. Otherwise he was sure he was there for life. How terrible. I was always amazed at his ability to seem so normal when I was a child, and not outwardly affected that I ever noticed. Poor him. He died when I was a teenager.
     
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  13. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    He wrote a book a bout his experiences, published in 1954.
     

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    Last edited: Mar 3, 2023
  14. RebeccaHague87

    RebeccaHague87 New Member

    yes we managed to get a copy of that during lockdown in 2020. My gran said they all thought he was dead and had died in the war! Must have been surreal!
    I haven't read the book yet but am going to do so this year
     
  15. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    There’s also a very interesting file about him at the National Archives
     

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  16. Gustin

    Gustin New Member

    Hi Rebecca,
    have you finished reading the book? I found it so fascinating that after five years, I'm reading it again. Amazing. But I haven't been able to find anything else on the Internet about your uncle's later years.
    By chance, do you or anybody else know when Frank Kelly passed away, the date? and also where he is buried? May he rest in peace.
     

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